Pulling
Definition
Pulling
- A strategy of bringing one or two enemies away from a larger group of enemies with the intention of avoiding fighting the large group of enemies at once.
Mechanics
The strategy and mechanics of pulling have undergone a variety of changes as the Developers modify aspect of the game engine. Generally, a player can pull a Minion class enemy (or lower) without causing aggro on the remainder of a group. The chance of pulling rapidly drops if attempted on a Lieutenant, and seems to be impossible for Boss class or above.
Different factors seem to influence the chance of pulling, the "failure" of which results in the whole mob being aggro'ed to the person who pulled. Factors such as line-of-sight between the target and its associated group, proximity (distance) of the target to its group and if the group is moving seem to have the greatest impact on the chance of a successful pull. Using a sniper attack generally has the best chance (and allows the player to be further away should the pull fail), whereas AoE attacks will, by their very nature, almost inevitably fail to pull successfully.
Additionally, the use of a Debuff power seems to be more effective in pulling single foes, unless the power has a Targeted AoE component (like Lingering Radiation or Darkest Night) which often results in a failed pull.
Nonetheless, AoE pulling may become an acceptable, or even preferable, tactic under certain conditions. On a densely populated map, pulling a single group away from an area with many groups becomes the mass equivalent of pulling a single enemy away from a group, and similarly helps reduce the chances of 'adds'.